Coin-controlled book-holder.



PatentedMar. 6, |900. H. L. PECK.

COIN CONTRULLED BO0K HOLDER.

(Application filed. June 23, 1899.)

3 Sheets-Sheet l,

(No Model.)

n. 644,776. Patented mar. 4s, |900. H. L. Peck.

COIN CONTROLLED' BOOK HOLDER.

- (Application med June 2s, i899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2,

waMd 5% -M5 ffof/Lezgl No. 644,776. Patented Mar. 6, |900.

H. L. lPECK.

`SOIN CONTROLLED BOOK HOLDER.

(Application filed June 23, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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com-CONTROLLED BooK-HOLDER.

SPCIFICATOhTA forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,776, dated March 6, 19O.

Appliation filed June 23, 1899. Serial No. 721,523. (No model.)

T all whom it may' concern,.-

Be it known that I, HARRY L. PEGK, of Chicago; in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Controlled Book-Holders; and I do 4hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in coin-controlled devices, and more particularly to that class designed to hold a book normally in a closed position, butwhich will permit the book to be opened when the coin-controlled mechanism is operated by the insertion of a coin of a designated dimension in the slot thereof. p

The object of my invention is to provide a device that shall hold an ordinary city directory. It will be fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings and the description thereof and will be more specifically stated in the claims appended hereto. Referring now to the drawings, Figure l illustrates in a perspective View a suitable table provided with my invention. Fig. 2 illustrates a modification thereof, consisting of a box provided with my invention; Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan viewof the device with the bookremoved. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken centrally upon Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and 6 are vertical transverse sectional views looking in opposite directions.

In said drawings, A represents as a whole any suitable table having a suitable openin g therethrough, as shown at a.. B represents a box comprising side walls b, front end wall b', rear end wall h2, and bottom wall h3. The box B is conveniently secured to the under side of the table A and is of such a size as to register with said opening a, as will be fully understood by reference to the various figures of the drawings. Where it is desired to have the coin-controlled device a portable affairthat is, disconnected from the table-the boX B may be substantiallyl as shown in Fig. 2. When in this form, it may be conveniently used upon a shelf or counter in the drug-store or other convenient place. The interior mechanism will in such case be the same as that used in the other table form of the device.

On either side of the opening in the table and extending longitudinally therein is a hinged metal frame C, carrying at its upper portion a wooden plate c and having on its lower portion c.andextending at right angles to such lower portion a toothed segment C'. As shown in Fig. 5, these toothed segments mesh with each other when the frames C are rotated about their respective pivots or hinges c2. Near each end of the plates c and spanning the space between them are the flexible loops of rawhide or the like C2. A city directory or' other book D will be placed in position by resting its back upon the loops C2, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, in which position the sides of the book d will be parallel and in contact with the plates c. Preferably the sides d of the book will be removably secured to said plates c by screws d or in any convenient manner.

Projecting inwardly from the sides h of the box B are hinged locking-arms E, pivoted to the said sides at e and each being provided lock the extreme lower end portion c of the frame C. A spring c2, secured at one end of the side h of 'the box and pressing with its free end upon the under side of the lockingarm E, tends to hold said arm in its horizontal or locking position, as illustrated in Fig. 5. In this position frames C are upright and the directory or other book D is held firmly in position between said plates c, in which position the book may not be opened for the inspection of its contents until the lockingarms E have been withdrawn.

0f course it will be understood that in using my invention, for example, in connection with a city directory the boxes will be built Figs. 1 and 5, and by such frictional contact the book may not be withdrawn from between the plates c even should the screws or other fastening device d be dispensed with.

I will now describe the mechanism for releasing the locking-arms E. This consists of a transversely-arranged rocking bar or rod F, having at each end a right-angled eXtenwith a shoulderfe adapted to engage and.

of a size required to hold the book snugly in I its locked or closed position, as shown in o f IOO .E, I provide locking-dogs I.

sion-arm f, the outer ends of which arms rest upon the inner or free ends of the lockingarms E. Secured in avertical position above the center of the rocking. bar F is a relativelywide flat arm f2. f3 are suitable bearin gs for the rocking bar F. From this construction it will be manifest that the pushing of the free end of the arm f2 inwardly--that is, toward the center of the box-will rock the bar F, and consequently depress the outer end of the arms fand locking-bars E, thus releasing the shoulders e of said bars E from engagement with the lower ends c of the frames C. This movementis accomplished by means of the push rod or bar G, the outer end of which projects beyond the outside of the box and the inner end of which is located adjacent to said arm f2 when a coin is in position. H is the coin-slot, 7L the coin-chute, and 7L the holder for the coin after it has left the chute. When the coin is in the holder 7L', the push-button G is pressed inwardly, strikes the coin, and presses it and the arm f2 inwardly, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig.

4. The lower portion of the holder 7L is pro` vided with a shoulder h2, on which the coin rests until it is pushed inwardly bythe pushrod G. As soon as the rod Ghas been moved to the limit of its inward movement a spring g, wrapped about the inner end of said rod, exerts a pressure sufficient to retract the rod G and move it to its outer or normal position. It may be, however, that the person using the device has moved the push-rod and released the locking-arm E, but has not actually opened the book. In such event to prevent the rocking arm f2 from moving back, as it would do under the in fluence of the spring c2 and the upward movement of the locking-arm These dogs are pivoted at i and are operated in one direction by gravity. They have a limited movementin either direction, as indicated, by the pins t" fi and are each provided with a projecting nose ft2. The nose ft2 falls down upon the free ends f of the rock-bar F as soon'as the lockarm E is pressed down. They thus hold the vertical plate or arm f2 in the inclined position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 4, and it will be manifest, therefore, that when said arm is in its inclined position the coin will drop through the chute h adjacent thereto and into the coin-receptacle immediately upon the push-rod G being released and retracted. The operator may then open the book by taking hold of the upper or free ends of the plate c, the frames C turning on their hinges c2, the movement being facilitated by Athe intermeshing of the toothed segments C.

As the free ends c of the frame move toward each other upwardly, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6, they will engage an upwardlyprojecting shoulder 3 upon the gravity-dogs I and move the upper ends of said dogs toward each other. This movement disengages the outwardly-projecting nose 112 of each vthe openingfl.

dog from the ends f of the rock-bar F. The lock-arm E thereupon at once assumes its normal position under the in fiuence of the springs c2.

In orderthat the open book may not be consulted for too long a time or may not remain open, I have arranged for an automatic closing of the same. My arrangement foraccomplishing this result comprises a plurality of springs. Some of these springs are ordinary coil-springs J, the lower ends of which are suitably secured at j to the interior of the bottom b3 of the box, while the upper ends of said springs are secured to projecting arms o upon the frame CI Another of said springs is shown at K, the same consisting of a flat lspring secured at its lower end at 7c tothe side b of the box and projecting at its upper or free end against a suitable projection or knob k3 upon the frame C. It will now be manifest that when the book is opened the frames C and 4the plates c will lie in a substantially-horizontal position, as indicated in Fig. 6, and that they will remain in such position so long as a very slight or minimum pressure, such as the weight of the hand, is laid upon the open book. It will also'be uuderstood that as soon as this pressure of the hand is removed the frames C, acting under the influences of the springs .I and K, at once resume their vertical and normal positions, thus closing and locking the book.

To provide against the unlocking of the device without the insertion of a coin, I provide ,a slot or opening f4 through the arm f2 of sufficient size to freely admit the inner end of the push-rod G, from which it will be noted that when the push-rod'G is operated it in turn will not operate the rock-bar F unless the coin has been inserted in the chute, rests upon the shoulder h2, and forms a closure for I desire it to be understood,

Ioo

however, that the particular coin-operating device here illustrated does not comprise the sum and substance of my invention, inasmuch as any device for .receiving and conducting the coin and operating a push-button for the purpose of tilting the rock-bar F can be substituted for the specific device here illustrated and can be combined with the other features of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof; nor do I desire to be limited to the specific form of the other features of my invention herein shown and described, but do desire that my claims shall be construed to cover all mechanical equivalents thereof.

I claim as my invention,-m

l. In a coi n-controlled book-holder, the combination with a pair of pivoted frames, of pivoted locking-arms independent of the frames and adapted to engage the same only in their closed position, a single devicefor simultaneously releasing said pivoted locking-arms, and coin-controlled means for operating said single device.

2., A book-holder, comprising a table pro-y IIO Iig

vided with an opening, a pair of frames pivotally secured one on either side of said opening, exible connections between said frames upon which the back of a book may rest, toothed segments on said frames adapted to intermesh with each other, a pivoted lockingarm adapted to engage a movable part of one frame, a coin-controlled device for releasing said arm.

3. A book-holder, comprising a table having an opening therethrough, a pair of frames hinged tothe said opening one on either side, flexible connections between said frames, pivoted arms for locking saidrames in an upright position, coin-controlled mechanism for releasing said frames, and means independent of the coin-controlled mechanism for returning said frames to their upright positions.

4. A book-holder, comprising a table provided with an opening therethrough, metal 'frames pivoted to the side of said opening,

a Wooden plate secured to the upper part of each frame, Iiexible connectionsbetween said wooden plates whereby a book may be supported between the same, intermeshing toothed segments integral with the lower portion of said frames, pivoted spring-pressed lockingarms engaging said frames, a coincontrolled mechanism for releasing said locking-arms.

5. In a book-holder, the combination of a pair of upright movable frames, between which the book may be secured in its closed position, locking devices for holding said frames in said upright position, controlledv mechanism for withdrawing said locking devices, and a pivoted gravity pawl or dog adapted to engage said controlled mechanism and retain the locking device in a retracted position during a portion of the movement of the frame when opening the book.

6. In a coin-controlled book-holder of the character described, the combination of the frame c, the spring-actuated lock-arm E, the gravity-dog I having a projecting nose 112 and projection t3, and coin-controlled means for actuating said locking-arms E.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 20th day of J une, A. D. 1899.

HARRY In PECK.

Witnesses:

TAYLOR E. BROWN, GERTRUDE BRYCE. 

